In Need of Some Fresh Air
Aedre’s Firefly Graphic Novel updates every Wednesday
New Readers: click here to start closer to the beginning of the story… You also might like this well-written precis of the story by Todd McElmurry at the WebComic Alliance’s pick-of-the-week: Aedre’s Firefly.
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EDITED, Friday June 08
This week’s strip was uploaded with an error. I forgot that jpegs make transparent areas white and so my lovely middle greys ended up white washing out the effects I laboured so diligently with which to dazzle you. I’ve uploaded the replacement (above), but I know some of you are interested in the art creation process, so I’m including the old version below.
~~~ End of Edit.
A couple of weeks ago Mal wondered in the comments if anyone else had noticed the placard on the outhouse… Did you? ;`) Hint: To get a closer look, right click the strip and choose “view image”.
Site News:
I installed a couple of new things on the website: 1. At the bottom of blog and above the comment section, you’ll find a “Share” DropDown button. You can email the link to this page to any friends right from the comic page. It won’t even open your email program. The email you send it to is completely private. Even I don’t see it. 2. You can now have notices of follow ups to your comments, etc., sent to your email. These check boxes will be found beneath the “comment” and/or “reply to” input boxes. The main reason for these changes is that often I feel like there could be a lot more discussion between readers if there was some way for them to know there were further comments. Let me know how you feel about these changes to the site please. Thanks!
#LFWC this week
Is Walking On Broken Glass by Samantha Mathis (writing) and Caytlin Vilbrandt (art). I don’t usually have much interest in what I refer to as “supernatural” genre comics, ie, ghosts, zombies, vampires, werewolves, but this Long Form Web Comic intrigues me. I’m kind of afraid to create spoilers here so I’ll go carefully. You can click on the link above and start directly at the first page. It does involve werewolves, but unlike any werewolves I’ve seen before. And this is one of the things that makes it fun.
Apparently, in this world some people get (for want of a better word) chosen to become a supernatural being of sorts, and once that happens those chosen get to make a choice themselves –are they going to work for the good of all, or will they succumb to evil influences? Of course, both factions (?) are on the lookout for newly turned people in the hopes of influencing them, or perhaps… even destroying them. Elemental powers come into play in the skirmishes that can ensue, and these are done very well.
But this story hinges on the relationship between a man and a woman, the head of the corporation he created to give aid to newly turned people, and his new secretary. She always seems to know what he needs whether it’s a good meal, or a smack upside the head. And boy does he need both sometimes, since he is his own worst enemy. And that is because he’s been harbouring a very dark secret for many years and it’s eating him up emotionally. The pacing of the story is excellent, flowing well from serious to humorous, and from light and tender scenes to tense and combative ones. And the simple but beautiful art style complements the story very well. I look forward to watching this one unfold. I’m sure that even if you don’t care much for the genre you’ll still be intrigued by this one.
Creative Process
There are times when the process of creating Aedre’s Firefly goes so smoothly it feels as exhilarating as flying. Then there are the other times. :`(
I got stuck trying to sketch out a single strip this week that still isn’t finished. A whole week on one strip. Three panels. *sigh* It should publish around the end of August and it’s not like I don’t have time to make sure each strip does what it is intended to do, but if I’m not doing at least two a week, my anxiety levels start to shoot up. So lots of struggle this week. This too shall pass. That much I know, yet somehow I’m going through a down period about Aedre’s Firefly.
I think this may be because I am so close to finishing Volume 1. Also because I’m having to rewrite this last chapter as I go along, having had a few more puzzle pieces fall in to place about where it’s going and how to get there. Which means I’ll have to re-draw some parts and insert others back farther at some point. I often wish I had created the whole thing first and then published, but it’s really too late now. I was naif. But we do learn if we have a mind to so.
Aedre’s Firefly has become part of my life in ways that I never thought would be possible. I’ve become more organised, I eat better, exercise more, sleep better and I no longer play time-sucking MMOs (I used to have all the time in the world to play them, so that wasn’t a problem really, until they began to conflict with creating Aedre’s story). I feel as though, for the first time in my long life, I am creating something of value, something unique, something ambitious, something larger than life. And I’m finally learning how to write for the medium. And that I think is where the real problem lies.
As I learn how to better write for sequential-art-style storytelling, I see where and how the story must go and since most of the first volume is already published, it will be difficult to go back and alter parts of it to keep it in line with where it is going. I will be doing that at some point. Because I’m really excited about these new pieces of the puzzle and I’m sure you will be too. :D
On another note, I got my corkboard this weekend (3′ x 4′–$50 from Staples) and spent Sunday preparing it and writing up and adding 3×5 cards with scenes from Chapt. VII to it. It’s amazing how much one can write altogether when limited to one 3×5-inch space at a time! I’m really looking forward to using this tool for writing the whole of Volumes Two and Three of Aedre’s Firefly. Here it is in action:
I had to take down a couple of my framed paintings from the wall to be able to position the corkboard there, but it’s worth it. There are still a few spots on the opposite wall where they could go.
Other News
Mal and I finished watching the Avatar: The Last Air Bender animated series on Sunday, and aside from a few utterly schlocky episodes (like the one where they go to the theatre to watch a play about the Avatar and themselves which was totally a stupid waste of time {IMO} and didn’t move the story ahead in any way), it was really an amazing experience! We watched it on Amazon Prime for free (?)*, no commercials, except every episode started out with a “last time on Avatar…” which we learned to click past most of the time.We both thoroughly enjoyed the series, in spite of the few going-nowhere episodes, especially the four-part ending of the series. Tons of wow-factor there!
(*–TANSTAAFL)
And finally, I won’t be on Twitter as much over the summer, and when I am there will be less re-tweeting, as I’m moving into scriptwriting mode and I seriously cannot get too involved with anything else while I’m writing. Apologies to those who have come to depend on it. I will, however still try to comment on your sites as much as possible. Summer usually takes me away from the internet. This summer will be more so.
Thanks for reading Aedre’s Firefly and for your encouraging comments! <3
Okay, in order:
1) Ha, no. I hadn’t noticed that sign before.
2) “Thunk”? Aedre needs more fiber in her diet.
3) A webcomic about werewolves? I think I’ll have to skip that for the time being so I don’t crib any ideas from it.
4) I feel the same way about being more organized now that I am working on a creative project. Still, Diablo beckons… :)
1. Looks like the prize goes to Mal for his observation skills. :`) (He doesn’t get to see the comic before you do, so he gets no unfair advantage) :`D
2. Aedre needs more diet in her diet (poor starving thing). That was supposed to be her dropping the Sears-Roebuck (Except in Canada it was called the Simpsons-Sears.)
3. So far it’s very different from your story, The Only City Left. (No society of talking cats, for one thing.) ;`)
4. Diablo beckons me too, but I refuse to answer. I did however sign up for the beta of yet another MMO game with the word “star” in the title: Wildstar. Looks fun, but then they all do until you’ve played then for awhile.
I was, of course, joshing about the THUNK.
And the society of talking cats thing? I had no idea they were going to show up until Tumble did. TYS. :)
The whole cat society is really well drawn in your story and Tumble is awesome. Delightful. But next week, I’m going to have to cover my eyes when I read it, in case it gets too disturbing. … Wait! LOL
Ahh, spring is definitely in the air! Creating something of value? Amen, sister! Love to read about your creative process, thanks for sharing!
And a good thing, too, Mark. If she’d stayed in there much longer reading the catalogue she may have been asphyxiated. Or fallen in. ;`)
Thanks for letting me know you like to read about the process. Sometimes I think if I couldn’t share that, it would build up inside and consume me. I love reading stuff like that on other creators sites, too. <3
Jande, only you can make the woods look so friendly and adventuresome, and then, transform them into something foreboding and potentially dangerous. :)
Why, thank you, George! <3
I don’t know what happened to this one, though, since the light streams seemed to have gotten lost. I think I may have accidently turned on the white background layer and it washed everything out. I’m going to check on it and re-upload it once it’s fixed.
I still can’t make out the sign.
I’m with Andy….”THUNK”???? ewwwwww. Don’t want to go in there anytime soon.
Try going back to an earlier strip, Bearman, and doing the right-click-view-image thing. Try THIS one…
Oh, and the “THUNK!”? See my reply above to Andy. I should have guessed you boys would take it for something else. LOL
That is truly a classic outhouse. It just has that certain *something* about it that never fails to delight. It’s jaunty! I think it’s a shoe-in for Classic Outhouses Throughout the Ages, a book which, if it doesn’t currently exist, really should.
Based on how much the light changed in this strip I can only conclude that Aedre perused that catalog very thoroughly. I suspect the owner won’t be happy, though, that she’s dropped it on the floor. Thunk! The Christmas catalog always was a hefty one. 8^)
Classic Outhouses Throughout the Ages Oh my! Yes! They are quickly disappearing even from the most remote areas. I think it would make a fascinating picture book, full of historical pieces like how in the middle ages they didn’t know enough not to place their outhouses and middens right next to their wells. I think you should write it. As soon as you finish up with Rowan’s and Stephen’s latest adventure. So happy you’re writing again, Mal! <3
Yes the light beams that got lost in transition were supposed to show the passage of time. (Definitely have to fix that!) She certainly was in there quite absorbed by the catalogue for quite a while. I just hope she remembers to take the TP back with her. ;`)
Hey! I like that idea. I’d have to travel to all sorts of old castles, forts, cathedrals, temples, ruins, caves, farmsteads, constructions sites, rock concerts and uh, well pretty much anywhere there would have been or currently is an “outhouse”. Oh, and inns and… PUBS!
I’m in. :D
Great! I’ll start planning the kickstarter right away! ;`D
The almost far away distance was an interesting choice. It makes you feel like your spying on a private moment which, of course, you are.
Thank you for that astute observation, Michael. :`)
Then again, when I think about it, aren’t we always spying on our characters? :`D
The placard was hard to see on this one, but I went back two and it was more readable, “Abandon hope all who enter here”, that’s awesome!!
There’s a lot of noise taking place in that outhouse. I’m sure the flip, flip was the Sears Roebuck, but the Thunk! may be the reason for the placard. :)
From the Wiki page, Inferno (Dante): Dante passes through the gate of Hell, which bears an inscription, the ninth (and final) line of which is the famous phrase “Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch’intrate”, or “Abandon all hope, ye who enter here”.
Ever read that? Scary stuff indeed. :`D
I laughed out loud at your delightful speculation about the Thunk!. :`D
We most certainly are! What’s great about this one is we’re spying on them in an uncomfortable moment and your placement draws attention to that.
Thanks, Michael. :`)
Awesome artwork. If they still had outhouses I would make a killing selling outhouse snorkles. ( I do still have an idea sometimes.)
I’m thinkin’ of gettin a patent on that and they could place one in all of the portable johns around.